Our Own Kathleen L. Maher Shares her New Release!

We are so excited to have one of our own putting out a

new release, Kathleen L. Maher! And she's giving away a free e-book of her new book. All you have to do is share this post on social media! Leave a comment below with an email address so we can reach the winner!

PT: So tell us how you came to be a Historical writer.

KLM: I grew up in a town saturated with history, from the Revolutionary War (Battle of Newtown) to the Civil War (Elmira Military Rendezvous and Civil War POW camp). I heard local stories of Underground Railroad-era hidden tunnels through people’s cellars, and it all became so vivid in my imagination. I was hooked! Soon I began to dream up stories of  young ladies and young gentlemen, which forced me to dig deeper to get the nuance of dress, mannerisms, transportation, and all the historical minutiae accurate, to tell their stories well.

PT: Let your readers have a peek where your favorite location to write, get creative ideas.

KLM: I write wherever I can find a few minutes of peace and quiet. We have a busy house. Four dogs, four cats, three kids, and a husband who is a darling but sometimes competes for my attention.  So favorite location to write is away from distraction. Is there such a place in this connected world?

Where do I get my ideas? Often I literally dream them at night. Sometimes I see a photo on Pinterest that captures my imagination. Or if I’m at an estate sale or shop and see an intriguing antique.

PT: Pet Lover or no? Tell us if you do.

KLM: That would be a huge yes. Maybe a little on the extreme, but NOT building an ARK yet. Check back with me in a few.

We are owned by Newfoundlands. They are a giant, fluffy water rescuing dogs. Think of black St. Bernards without the snow or the rum. And then in the feline department, we have two tuxedo cats, and two all-black cats.

PT: What are you working on now? Edits? New story? New idea?
KLM: I want to finish book three in the Sons of the Shenandoah series, but I have this other book intruding on my focus. It’s a medieval in the way that the Princess Bride is, with castles and knights and princesses, but with a twist. Each main character has a quirk that back then would have been very misunderstood. Today we call some of these quirks developmental disability, or Traumatic brain injury, or narcolepsy, or… you get the idea. It’s a fun story about accepting others’ differences and a romance and an epic adventure and allegory all in one. And it might just be bigger than I am able to tame, but I’m hooked. No turning back now.

PT: Give us the best comment you’ve ever had from a reader:

KLM: I’m paraphrasing, but I had one reviewer say they hated my hero and my heroine and wanted to knock their heads together, but they couldn’t put it down because “the writing, the writing the writing.”

 I’ll take that as a compliment. 😉

PT:Share with us your favorite Bible verse right now.

KLM: I’ve been thinking a lot about the one in Micah lately. My new novella Bachelor Buttons has me thinking about human nature and what makes one person feel entitled to loot and riot under unjust circumstances, while another person in those same difficulties and uncertainties decides to be a force for good and not evil. I think this scripture sums it up.

Micah 6:8-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

If we want to please the Lord, we don’t seek our own, but to please Him and to serve others.

PT: As I sit at my window and watch the last of winter battling the arrival of spring,  tell us which is your favorite season and tell why: Spring, summer, fall, or Winter?

KLM: Oh, this is the hardest question! I love many things about all four. I live in upstate New York where we have four very distinct seasons, and I look forward to spring flowers, winter snowstorms all cozied up inside with hot coffee and a good book, or swimming and hiking in the summer, and of course the cooler temps and glorious colors of fall. God shows off and gives us joy in each season of life. I think He knew the way humans would always need something to look forward to.

PT: My favorite parts! Tell 5 things about Kathleen L. Maher that have nothing to do with writing.

KLM: I was a single mom for seven years before I met Mr. Maher, the real hero in my story.

I was raised by a single mom who will forever be my heroine.

I love to draw and paint, and I have my own art page on Facebook.

I love to sing. Before asthma and allergies took their toll, I was pretty good. Now I just sing worship too loudly in our small church.  Poor Pastor.  LOL

Gardening and preserving my own food has become a growing interest to me. Each year I try something new—peach preserves last year, and this year, my own elderberry syrup, Lord willing.

And here is what you've been waiting for! The cover of Kathleen's new book.

Share on Social Media and post a comment below where you shared it!

The daughter of immigrants who fled the Irish Potato Famine, Rose Meehan longs for a better life than the tenements of New York City. Courted by two men--a young doctor who represents material security, and a poor violin instructor who has captured her heart--she must choose between the two. When Manhattan explodes in mob rule following Lincoln's unpopular draft, Rose’s decision could mean the difference between life and death.

Purchase link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0851WX4JC/

Kathleen L. Maher’s Author bio:

"Where every underdog has his day."
Kathleen L. Maher’s first crush was Peter Rabbit, and she’s loved conflicted heroes ever since. She has two novellas in BARBOUR BOOKS' collections: Victorian Christmas Brides and Lessons on Love. Winner 2012 ACFW Genesis Award. Author of Sons of the Shenandoah Series: The Abolitionist's Daughter and The Chaplain's Daughter.
Kathleen and her husband live in an old farmhouse in upstate NY with their children and a small menagerie.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-L-Maher/e/B00D8EXO80/
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/KLMaherAuthor/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kathleenlmaher/boards/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2531698-kathleen-l
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-l-maher